Formatting cue notes

The simplest way to format cue notes is to explicitly create a CueVoice context within the part.

\relative {
  R1
  <<
    { e'2\rest r4. e8 }
    \new CueVoice {
      \stemUp d'8^"flute" c d e fis2
    }
  >>
  d,4 r a r
}

The \cueClef command can also be used with an explicit CueVoice context if a change of clef is required and will print an appropriately sized clef for the cue notes. The \cueClefUnset command can then be used to switch back to the original clef, again with an appropriately sized clef.

\relative {
  \clef "bass"
  R1
  <<
    { e'2\rest r4. \cueClefUnset e,8 }
    \new CueVoice {
      \cueClef "treble" \stemUp d''8^"flute" c d e fis2
    }
  >>
  d,,4 r a r
}

The \cueClef and \cueClefUnset commands can also be used without a CueVoice if required.

\relative {
  \clef "bass"
  R1
  \cueClef "treble"
  d''8^"flute" c d e fis2
  \cueClefUnset
  d,,4 r a r
}

For more complex cue note placement like including transposition, or inserting cue notes from multiple music sources, the \cueDuring or \cueDuringWithClef commands can be used. These are more specialized forms of \quoteDuring, see Quoting other voices in the previous section.

The syntax is

\cueDuring quotename direction music

and

\cueDuringWithClef quotename direction clef music

The music from the corresponding measures of quotename is added as a CueVoice context and occurs simultaneously with music, which then creates a polyphonic situation. The direction variable takes the argument #UP or #DOWN, and corresponds to the first and second voice, respectively, determining how the cue notes are printed in relation to the other voice.

fluteNotes = \relative {
  r2. c''4 | d8 c d e fis2 | g2 d |
}

oboeNotes = \relative c'' {
  R1
  <>^\markup \tiny { flute }
  \cueDuring "flute" #UP { R1 }
  g2 c,
}

\addQuote "flute" { \fluteNotes }

\new Staff {
  \oboeNotes
}

It is possible to adjust which aspects of the music are quoted with \cueDuring by setting the quotedCueEventTypes property. Its default value is '(note-event rest-event tie-event beam-event tuplet-span-event), which means that only notes, rests, ties, beams and tuplets are quoted, but not articulations, dynamic marks, markup, etc.

oboeNotes = \relative {
  r2 r8 d''16(\f f e g f a)
  g8 g16 g g2.
}
\addQuote "oboe" { \oboeNotes }

\new Voice \relative c'' {
  \set Score.quotedCueEventTypes = #'(note-event rest-event tie-event
                                      beam-event tuplet-span-event
                                      dynamic-event slur-event)
  \cueDuring "oboe" #UP { R1 }
  g2 c,
}

Markup can be used to show the name of the quoted instrument. If the cue notes require a change in clef, this can be done manually but the original clef should also be restored manually at the end of the cue notes.

fluteNotes = \relative {
  r2. c''4 d8 c d e fis2 g2 d2
}

bassoonNotes = \relative c {
  \clef bass
  R1
  \clef treble
  <>^\markup \tiny { flute }
  \cueDuring "flute" #UP { R1 }
  \clef bass
  g4. b8 d2
}

\addQuote "flute" { \fluteNotes }

\new Staff {
  \bassoonNotes
}

Alternatively, the \cueDuringWithClef function can be used instead. This command takes an extra argument to specify the change of clef that needs to be printed for the cue notes but will automatically print the original clef once the cue notes have finished.

fluteNotes = \relative {
  r2. c''4 d8 c d e fis2 g2 d2
}

bassoonNotes = \relative c {
  \clef bass
  R1
  <>^\markup { \tiny "flute" }
  \cueDuringWithClef "flute" #UP "treble" { R1 }
  g4. b8 d2
}

\addQuote "flute" { \fluteNotes }

\new Staff {
  \bassoonNotes
}

Like \quoteDuring, \cueDuring takes instrument transpositions into account. Cue notes are produced at the pitches that would be written for the instrument receiving the cue to produce the sounding pitches of the source instrument.

To transpose cue notes differently, use \transposedCueDuring. This command takes an extra argument to specify (in absolute mode) the printed pitch that you want to represent the sound of a concert middle C. This is useful for taking cues from an instrument in a completely different register.

piccoloNotes = \relative {
  \clef "treble^8"
  R1
  c'''8 c c e g2
  c4 g g2
}

bassClarinetNotes = \relative c' {
  \key d \major
  \transposition bes,
  d4 r a r
  \transposedCueDuring "piccolo" #UP d { R1 }
  d4 r a r
}

\addQuote "piccolo" { \piccoloNotes }

<<
  \new Staff \piccoloNotes
  \new Staff \bassClarinetNotes
>>

The \killCues command removes cue notes from a music expression, so the same music expression can be used to produce the instrument part with cues and the score. The \killCues command removes only the notes and events that were quoted by \cueDuring. Other markup associated with cues, such as clef changes and a label identifying the source instrument, can be tagged for selective inclusion in the score; see Using tags.

fluteNotes = \relative {
  r2. c''4 d8 c d e fis2 g2 d2
}

bassoonNotes = \relative c {
  \clef bass
  R1
  \tag #'part {
    \clef treble
    <>^\markup \tiny { flute }
  }
  \cueDuring "flute" #UP { R1 }
  \tag #'part \clef bass
  g4. b8 d2
}

\addQuote "flute" { \fluteNotes }

\new Staff {
  \bassoonNotes
}

\new StaffGroup <<
  \new Staff {
    \fluteNotes
  }
  \new Staff {
    \removeWithTag #'part { \killCues { \bassoonNotes } }
  }
>>

See also

Notation Reference: Quoting other voices, Instrument transpositions, Instrument names, Clef, Musical cues, Using tags.

Snippets: Staff notation.

Internals Reference: CueVoice, Voice.

Known issues and warnings

Collisions can occur with rests, when using \cueDuring, between Voice and CueVoice contexts. When using \cueDuringWithClef or \transposedCueDuring the extra argument required for each case must come after the quote and the direction.